Louisiana Cattle Market Update Friday, July 20 th, 2012 Ross Pruitt, Dep a rtment of Agric ultura l Ec onomic s a nd Agrib usiness LSU Ag Center Mid-Year Cattle Report The last few weeks have been a wild ride for agricultural markets as market participants try to separate uncertainty on weather conditions impacting crop yield potential and the risk associated with the lower production on the overall supply and demand situation. This is the catch-22 that USDA and private analytical firms face when they release estimates on any type of agricultural commodity. Fundamental factors may change between the time the data is collected and the forecasts are released. Private firms have more flexibility to update information than USDA. However, USDA has access to essentially all agricultural producers in developing their surveys. As with the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released last week, the markets have been trading on newer information since those estimates were released on July 11 th. Does this mean the forecasts that USDA releases are useless? Of course not! Their access to a larger number of producers increases the reliability of their estimates at the time when they were collected. Take the July 1 Cattle report which is summarized below. Much of the data shown was collected in mid June when drought conditions were not as severe as today when the estimates were released. The realities of widespread drought conditions may have contributed to culling of animals which would not necessarily be reflected in the report below. Although the inventory report issued today is not comparable to the January 1 st inventory report due to a smaller set of producers being questioned, it provides important estimates of the U.S. beef herd is at the midpoint of each year. The July 1 st Cattle inventory report was one of the reports USDA NASS eliminated last year due to decreases in their budget. It was temporarily reinstated, but there is no guarantee that the July cattle inventory report will be published next year. Recent research conducted by Glynn Tonsor of Kansas State, Kate Brooks of West Texas A&M, Rachel Johnson of USDA Economic Research Service, and myself surveyed members of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents found agents who are directly involved in a farming operation do not currently purchase private data. A recent survey indicates six percent of surveyed agents who are livestock farmers and one percent of surveyed agents who are involved in crop farms purchase private data. It is unknown if that statistic is higher or lower for the general farming population, but the key point is the reliance that this group of surveyed agents has on USDA collected and disseminated data. Reliance on USDA data reflects the fact that USDA is an unbiased source and the credibility of those estimates over the long term. Data, even when provided by USDA, is not free, but less data will impact market performance.
USDA NASS July 1 Cattle report summary: Pre-Report Estimates 1,000 head % of 2011 Avg. Range All Cattle & Calves 97,800 97.8 98.6 97.9 99.5 Annual Calf Crop 34,500 97.7 98.4 98.0 99.2 Total Cows/Heifers Calved 39,700 97.8 98.4 97.8 99.5 Beef Cows/Heifers Calved 30,500 97.1 97.9 97.1 99.0 Dairy Cows/Heifers Calved 9,200 100.0 100.3 99.7 101.0 Heifers 500 Pounds + 15,700 98.1 99.3 98.7 100.0 Beef Replacement Heifers 4,200 100.0 101.3 100.6 102.4 Milk Replacement Heifers 4,100 97.6 99.5 98.8 100.0 Other Heifers 7,400 97.4 98.3 96.7 101.0 Steers 500 Pounds + 14,000 98.6 99.2 98.2 100.0 Bulls 500 Pounds + 1,900 95.0 97.1 95.0 99.0 Calves under 500 Pounds 26,500 97.4 97.9 97.3 98.5 Cattle on Feed 12,300 100.8 N/A N/A Note that the Cattle on Feed category above is for all feedlots, not just those with 1,000 head plus capacity that is reported monthly (and summarized below). Overall, the inventory report has a bullish tone as USDA estimates are to the low end or outside of the ranges provided by analysts in the prereport estimates. The fact that beef replacement heifers were at least equal to the number from last July indicates that expansion is trying to occur, even if the weather is not permitting it at this time. USDA NASS July Cattle on Feed report summary: Pre-Report Estimates 1,000 head % of 2011 Avg. Range Placed in June 1,664 98.2 98.7 92.6 104.1 Marketed in June 1,965 93.9 94.0 92.0 101.0 On Feed July 1 10,710 102.7 102.5 100.0 103.8 This month s Cattle on Feed report for feedlots with at least 1,000 head capacity is largely neutral. Combined with the total cattle on feed estimate from the inventory report there are about 1.6 million head of cattle in feedlots that are smaller than 1,000 head in one time capacity. Of the major feedlot states, Colorado and Nebraska placed more cattle in June 2012 than a year ago with Kansas even with last year. Total placements were down, but placement of animals weighing less than 600 pounds were equal to last year and animals weighing at least 800 pounds were 13.6% higher. Heifers on feed were 1% higher than a year ago. Total beef in cold storage at the end of June was down 5% from the end of May, but still 9% higher than June 30, 2011. Total pork in cold storage was 7% lower than last month, but 20% higher than June 30, 2011. Total chicken in storage was 1% higher than a month ago, but 14% lower than a year ago. The U.S. House Agricultural Committee has passed its version of the 2012 Farm Bill, but it has not come to a vote in the full U.S. House as of yet. The U.S. Senate has already passed its version. As of now, both the U.S. House and Senate have reauthorized the livestock indemnity and forage disaster programs that were included in the 2008 farm bill. The 2012 version of these programs may be slightly different than the 2008 version and more details will be passed on once a farm bill is finalized and signed into law.
Corn futures were higher on the week as weather s impact on yields continues to support prices. Additional support seems to have been indicated by government officials being unwilling to temporarily remove ethanol mandates as a result of the current drought situation. Live cattle futures posted gains this week even as corn prices surged higher. Higher grain prices will likely limit supplies and provided support for live cattle futures even though cash prices this week were lower. Stories began to appear in the middle of the week that Japan will soon begin accepting U.S. beef from animals that are less than 30 months of age as opposed to the current limit of less than 21 months. While this change has been in the works for several months now, it will still take several more months before the changes are finalized by the Japanese government. Feeder cattle futures were lower on the week due to limit or near-limit down moves early and late in the week due to higher prices in corn futures. Cash fed cattle trading was listed as light to moderate on light demand Tuesday in Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. Live prices were $1 to $2/cwt lower at $113/cwt with prices in Nebraska as low as $112/cwt. Dressed prices in Iowa and Nebraska were $179/cwt, a decline of $2 to $4/cwt from last week.
$/Cwt Joplin, MO Joplin, MO MS** OKC $/Cwt MS** Feeder Steer Prices* $150 $145 $140 $135 $130 $125 400-450 lbs 500-550 lbs 750-800 lbs OKC $129.92 Joplin, MO $141.83 $137.60 MS** $150.00 $127.50 *Prices are for Medium and Large 1-2 Steers **Mississippi prices are for midpoint of 500-600 steers Note zero values in table represent no reported sales for that weight group. Source: USDA AMS $85 Mississippi Cull Cow Prices $80 $75 $70 Breaking Boning Lean This Week $73.00 $78.00 $71.00 Last Week $80.00 $81.50 $71.00 This Week Last Week Source: USDA AMS
Table 1. Futures Prices Live Feeder Month Cattle Change* Cattle Change* Corn Change* August $ 117.95 0.75 $ 136.10-2.90 September $ 138.53-3.63 824 1/2 81 1/2 October $ 123.10 1.65 $ 140.50-3.80 November $ 142.28-3.28 December $ 126.30 1.40 795 3/4 53 3/4 January $ 145.18-3.20 February $ 128.60 0.15 March $ 147.95-3.15 781 1/4 44 1/2 April $ 131.90 0.65 $ 149.10-3.40 May $ 150.30-2.80 777 44 1/4 June $ 129.60 0.50 July 796 3/4 68 Source: DTN * Change is from the previous Friday s close
Table 2. State and National Market Information Commodity This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Area Fed Steer Price Live $ 112.90 $ 114.65 $ 108.52 Dressed $ 178.89 $ 181.92 $ 174.32 Oklahoma City Feeder Cattle Prices 5-5.5 cwt Med and Large #1 $ 145.62 $ 157.00 $ 140.44 7.5-8 cwt Med and Large #1 $ 135.13 $ 142.57 $ 135.29 Boxed Beef Cutout Values (weekly average) 600-900 lb Choice cutout $ 182.07 $ 187.33 $ 178.50 600-900 lb Select cutout $ 172.05 $ 173.81 $ 172.13 U.S. Pork Cutout Value $ 90.33 $ 89.61 $ 99.55 Georgia Dock Broilers $ 94.45 $ 94.39 $ 87.12 Georgia B/S Breasts $ 158.50 $ 158.50 $ 144.50 Georgia Leg Quarters $ 51.00 $ 51.00 $ 45.50 Meat production (million lbs) Beef 518 505.9 505.3 Pork 398.5 400.1 396.8 Slaughter (1,000 head) Cattle 654.0 641.0 653.7 Hogs 1,961 1,959 1,990 Broilers/Fryers 164,620 157,299 160,820 Average Dressed Weight Cattle 793 791 775 Hogs 203 204 200 7/14/2012 7/7/2012 7/16/2011 Poultry Placements (in thousands) 1 LA Broiler Egg Sets 3,409 3,134 3,258 US Broiler Egg Sets 195,857 193,936 196,576 LA Broiler Chick Placements 2,961 2,913 2,968 US Broiler Chick Placements 162,842 163,650 164,445 Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and Livestock Marketing Information Center 1 Note the placements numbers are lagged by one week prior to publishing.